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Sn&ide - JJUee paae& of Valentine uti&Ae&
iBtac&ton coach leinUated
Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Paid Poplar, Montana 59255 Permit No. 5
50c
��eeMy
Voi. 28 M*. 6
WMcmmWjmmj)i
Stofxlwc, Montana
9*6*ua*u 13,1997
Employee drug testing policy approved
By Bonnie Red Elk Wot an in Editor
The Tribal Executive Board took a major step forward in dealing with illegal drug use by employees by amending the Tribes' Personnel Policies and Procedures to strengthen and add to employee drug testing at their Feb. 10 meeting.
For the first time, for tribal employees, the Tribes will be implementing a random drug
Tribal Express to test - page 10
testing program, a reasonable suspicion policy as a basis for drug testing, and will include followup testing to monitor employees, said the Tribes' Personnel director Garrett Big Leggins, who was directed by the TEB a year ago to work with the Tribes' attorneys to draft such policies. We know there's illegal
drug use problems among some of our employees, said Big Leggins in an interview with the Wotanin. We (Personnel Office) and the TEB get reports of it, and the newly approved policies will allow us to identify employees with illegal drug use problems, and to provide help to those employees, he said.
Big Leggins said the next step is implementation, which will be done in stages. Some details need to be worked out, training has to be taken, and they need to meet with employees yet, he said.
The TEB appointed Tribal Health director Gary J. Melbourne as the approved officer for drug tests, and the Big Leggins as the verification officer for drug tests.
(Testing-Page 10)
5-4 vote provides $500,000 to ASTI
By Bonnie Red Elk Wotanin Editor
In almost a split decision, the Tribal Executive Board at their Feb. 10 meeting voted 5-4 to provide A&S Tribal Industries with a $500,000 line of credit to be repaid in one year at 7.5 percent interest. - ASTI got a $633,140 subcontract through Medical Place, Inc., of Montgomery, AL, to produce 3,548 medical
Council Highlights
chests which should employ 50 people, reported councilman Stoney Anketell, who is also a member of the ASTI board. "This gets ASTI back into the deep draw industry," he said.
The line of credit will be used to purchase supplies,
said councilman John Morales, also an ASTI board member. ASTI's past problems in paying their bills has caused their vendors to request payment upfront, he said.
Medical Place, Inc. is a medical supply company that
is 8A certified, meaning that it will get preference in contracts from the Defense Department as a minority owned company. The company is graduating from the certification in 10 months and will be bidding on two more chests that will again employ another 50, said Anketell to TEB. ASTI will be paid directly
(Highlights-Page 10)
Oil activity on Fort Peck picking up
By Minnie Two Shoes For the first time in several years, there is lots of oil development activity on the Fort Peck Reservation, said officials from the Tribal Minerals Office (TMO).
With Gulf Canada's agreement with the Fort Peck Tribes to lease hundreds of thousands of acres of allotted lands, the oil and gas industry on the reservation will definitely expand, said Larry Monson, TMO geologist. �'; Using Nessalk Oil, Inc, of Denver, Colorado as their leasing agent, Gulf Canada has spent over $1 million leasing
up reservation lands...both allotted and non-Indian fee, said Monson.
"It's been since the early '80s since there's been this much activity, and it's not just one or two companies, there's many," said Monson.
The oil and gas industry on the reservation has taken a dramatic upswing because of there's a lot more new seismic testing that's being done on the reservation, said TMO director Mervyn Shields.
Two years ago, a 60 square mile three dimensional seismic
(Oil - Page 10)
84 allottee tracts get bids
By Minnie Two Shoes
Eighty-four tracts of allotted lands received over $400,000 in bonus bids at the January 6 Oil and Gas Lease Sale No. 1/97
There was only one oil company who bid on the 84 tracts offered for leases at the Jan. 6 oil and gas lease auction.
A total of 16,174.61 acres of alloted lands received bonus bids ranging from $18.50 to $31.50 an acre, according to an recapitulation report pro-
vided by the Fort Peck Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
All 84 tracts offered were bid on by Nessalk Energy, Inc., who bid a total of $414,769.84 in bonus bids for the tracts.
The average bonus bid was $25.65 with 19 tracts receiving bonus bids of $31.50 for acreage ranging from 80 to 320 acres per tract, states the BIA report.
The royalty rates on the leases is 16 and 2/3 percent.
OIL DEVELOPMENT BRINGS JOBS, INCOME TO FORT PECK RESERVATION. This Murphy Oil drilling rig is looking for oil 10 miles north of Poplar. (Photo by Minnie Two Shoes.)
Burshia denied release pending sentencing
Michael Alan Burshia, 26, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the strangulation death of Joseph Cloud Boy, will remain in rail until his sentencing March 28.
Burshia, 26, had asked Chief U.S. District Judge Jack Shanstrom to allow his release from jail so he could psend time with his 3 year old son before going to prison.
However, at a hearing last week in Billings, the victim's uncle, Herman Red Elk, opposed the request and presented a petition with over 400 names from people from the Poplar area who were opposed to his release.
In an order signed Tuesday,
Shanstrom denied Burshia's release, saying that Burshia had failed to provide evidence that he was not a flight risk or a danger to the community.
Burshia's attorney, Frances McCarvel of Glasgow, said Burshia was not likely to flee and did not pose a danger to others or to the community.
When Burshia was previously released without bond in June, 1996 prior to his trial in December, McCarvel said Burshia was under electronic monitoring and never left his family's ranch 25 miles north of Brockton except to see his attorney, to be tested for drugs, and for medical emergencies. Any movement was
to be reported and no problems had been reported, he said.
McCarvel said he had 50 or so letters from family and friends who support Burshia's release pending sentencing.
Burshia took the stand and said if he's released, the mother of his 3 year old son agreed he could keep the boy at the Burshia ranch. "I want to be released only so I can spend my last few weeks I have left until sentencing so I can be with my son and get him used to the fact that I'm boing away for quite awhile," he told the judge. "I'm only asking I be able to spend
some time with my son."
Red Elk, who said he raised Cloud Boy in high school and before he went into the Marine Corp, said the federal court system doesn't pay attention to Fort Peck. "People are trying to unity against violence. Court TV was there. The judicial system needs to speak out."
Joseph doesn't get a second chance to go home and tell anyone he's going away, said Red Elk.
The judge delayed his decision until this week.
Burshia was convicted by a jury of voluntary manslaugh-
(Burshia - Page 8)
ate & National Political Arena
s�......m
Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields
�Bison killing highlights speech - P. 9
Chairman addresses joint session of State Legislature
Shields only 3rd tribal rep. to do so
By Bonnie Red Elk Wotanin Editor
The State must do more for tribes rather than less - that will be one of the mes-sages Fort Peck Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields said he will deliver to a joint session of the Montana State Legislature when he spoke on the "state of the Indian nations" on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Chairman Shields was invited to give the address and is only the third tribal representative to address a joint session of the Legislature.
At the Tribal Executive Board meeting on Monday, Feb. 10, Chairman Shields said he will talk on a wide-range of issues of concern of all tribes. One will be cooperative agreement tribes made with the State, he said, and will include welfare reform, allowing for tribal input on issues affecting Indians, dual taxation on Indian lands for the oil and gas industry, and what will the State do to help us get jobs on the reservation.
Shields said his testimony would have input from other tribal chairpersons, who would also be in Helena for the address.
(State - Page 9)
Montana's Congressional delegates to help Fort Peck
Water pipeline supported by all 3
By Bonnie Red Elk Wotanin Editor
Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields had good news for the Tribal Executive Board upon his return from Wash. DC, where he spent 3 days lobbying primarily for the Tribes water pipeline project.
Shields reported that the project has the support of Montana's three Congressional delegations - Senators Conrad Bums and Max Baucas, and Rep. Rick Hill in the House of Representatives.
Our bill for construction monies for the water pipeline has to be reintroduced, and Sen. Bums, who sponsored the bill in the last session of Congress, told Shields that the project is his top priority. Bums is on a committee that's important for the project, said the chairman.
Sen. Baucas will be co-sponsoring the bill and thanked the Fort Peck Tribes for their support during the last General Election, reported Shields.
Shields, Water Resource director Tom Escarcega, the engineer Mike Watson, of Helena who's been working with the Tribes on the project, and tribal attorney Mary Pavel met with Rep. Hill to go over the project, and Hill has indicated he would introduce Fort Peck's bill in the House, said the chairman, adding that Hill is on the important Energy and Water Committee.
(Water - Page 8
President wants more funds for Indian programs
But Governors support moratorium on putting new land into tribal trust
WASHINGTON (AP) -Following through on a promise to tribes, President Clinton proposed a 6 percent increase in spending on federal Indian programs next year.
Clinton's 1998 budget includes $1.7 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an 8 percent increase over this year, and $2.4 billion for the Indian Health Service, a 3 percent rise.
Other Indian programs, including housing subsidies, would rise 8 percent to $2.3 billion.
Congress cut the BIA's budget from $1.65 billion in 1996 to $1.6 billion this year.
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt told tribal leaders recently that he would ~be out on the point" fighting for more federal aid for them and
that they should be exempted from spending cuts that are being made to balance the federal budget.
The extra money that Clinton has requested for BIA next year would allow tribes to maintain 1,250 more miles of reservation roads, hire 400 additional people for law enforcement and to repair an additional 75 homes for needy families, said Ada Deer, assistant Interior secretary for Indian affairs.
Overall spending at the Interior Department would drop $300 million, to $7.1 billion next year.
But while it's good news about the budget, Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields said the problem now is keeping it intact as it goes through the
(Budget - Page 8)

Sn&ide - JJUee paae& of Valentine uti&Ae&
iBtac&ton coach leinUated
Bulk Rate U.S. Postage Paid Poplar, Montana 59255 Permit No. 5
50c
��eeMy
Voi. 28 M*. 6
WMcmmWjmmj)i
Stofxlwc, Montana
9*6*ua*u 13,1997
Employee drug testing policy approved
By Bonnie Red Elk Wot an in Editor
The Tribal Executive Board took a major step forward in dealing with illegal drug use by employees by amending the Tribes' Personnel Policies and Procedures to strengthen and add to employee drug testing at their Feb. 10 meeting.
For the first time, for tribal employees, the Tribes will be implementing a random drug
Tribal Express to test - page 10
testing program, a reasonable suspicion policy as a basis for drug testing, and will include followup testing to monitor employees, said the Tribes' Personnel director Garrett Big Leggins, who was directed by the TEB a year ago to work with the Tribes' attorneys to draft such policies. We know there's illegal
drug use problems among some of our employees, said Big Leggins in an interview with the Wotanin. We (Personnel Office) and the TEB get reports of it, and the newly approved policies will allow us to identify employees with illegal drug use problems, and to provide help to those employees, he said.
Big Leggins said the next step is implementation, which will be done in stages. Some details need to be worked out, training has to be taken, and they need to meet with employees yet, he said.
The TEB appointed Tribal Health director Gary J. Melbourne as the approved officer for drug tests, and the Big Leggins as the verification officer for drug tests.
(Testing-Page 10)
5-4 vote provides $500,000 to ASTI
By Bonnie Red Elk Wotanin Editor
In almost a split decision, the Tribal Executive Board at their Feb. 10 meeting voted 5-4 to provide A&S Tribal Industries with a $500,000 line of credit to be repaid in one year at 7.5 percent interest. - ASTI got a $633,140 subcontract through Medical Place, Inc., of Montgomery, AL, to produce 3,548 medical
Council Highlights
chests which should employ 50 people, reported councilman Stoney Anketell, who is also a member of the ASTI board. "This gets ASTI back into the deep draw industry" he said.
The line of credit will be used to purchase supplies,
said councilman John Morales, also an ASTI board member. ASTI's past problems in paying their bills has caused their vendors to request payment upfront, he said.
Medical Place, Inc. is a medical supply company that
is 8A certified, meaning that it will get preference in contracts from the Defense Department as a minority owned company. The company is graduating from the certification in 10 months and will be bidding on two more chests that will again employ another 50, said Anketell to TEB. ASTI will be paid directly
(Highlights-Page 10)
Oil activity on Fort Peck picking up
By Minnie Two Shoes For the first time in several years, there is lots of oil development activity on the Fort Peck Reservation, said officials from the Tribal Minerals Office (TMO).
With Gulf Canada's agreement with the Fort Peck Tribes to lease hundreds of thousands of acres of allotted lands, the oil and gas industry on the reservation will definitely expand, said Larry Monson, TMO geologist. �'; Using Nessalk Oil, Inc, of Denver, Colorado as their leasing agent, Gulf Canada has spent over $1 million leasing
up reservation lands...both allotted and non-Indian fee, said Monson.
"It's been since the early '80s since there's been this much activity, and it's not just one or two companies, there's many" said Monson.
The oil and gas industry on the reservation has taken a dramatic upswing because of there's a lot more new seismic testing that's being done on the reservation, said TMO director Mervyn Shields.
Two years ago, a 60 square mile three dimensional seismic
(Oil - Page 10)
84 allottee tracts get bids
By Minnie Two Shoes
Eighty-four tracts of allotted lands received over $400,000 in bonus bids at the January 6 Oil and Gas Lease Sale No. 1/97
There was only one oil company who bid on the 84 tracts offered for leases at the Jan. 6 oil and gas lease auction.
A total of 16,174.61 acres of alloted lands received bonus bids ranging from $18.50 to $31.50 an acre, according to an recapitulation report pro-
vided by the Fort Peck Agency of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
All 84 tracts offered were bid on by Nessalk Energy, Inc., who bid a total of $414,769.84 in bonus bids for the tracts.
The average bonus bid was $25.65 with 19 tracts receiving bonus bids of $31.50 for acreage ranging from 80 to 320 acres per tract, states the BIA report.
The royalty rates on the leases is 16 and 2/3 percent.
OIL DEVELOPMENT BRINGS JOBS, INCOME TO FORT PECK RESERVATION. This Murphy Oil drilling rig is looking for oil 10 miles north of Poplar. (Photo by Minnie Two Shoes.)
Burshia denied release pending sentencing
Michael Alan Burshia, 26, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the strangulation death of Joseph Cloud Boy, will remain in rail until his sentencing March 28.
Burshia, 26, had asked Chief U.S. District Judge Jack Shanstrom to allow his release from jail so he could psend time with his 3 year old son before going to prison.
However, at a hearing last week in Billings, the victim's uncle, Herman Red Elk, opposed the request and presented a petition with over 400 names from people from the Poplar area who were opposed to his release.
In an order signed Tuesday,
Shanstrom denied Burshia's release, saying that Burshia had failed to provide evidence that he was not a flight risk or a danger to the community.
Burshia's attorney, Frances McCarvel of Glasgow, said Burshia was not likely to flee and did not pose a danger to others or to the community.
When Burshia was previously released without bond in June, 1996 prior to his trial in December, McCarvel said Burshia was under electronic monitoring and never left his family's ranch 25 miles north of Brockton except to see his attorney, to be tested for drugs, and for medical emergencies. Any movement was
to be reported and no problems had been reported, he said.
McCarvel said he had 50 or so letters from family and friends who support Burshia's release pending sentencing.
Burshia took the stand and said if he's released, the mother of his 3 year old son agreed he could keep the boy at the Burshia ranch. "I want to be released only so I can spend my last few weeks I have left until sentencing so I can be with my son and get him used to the fact that I'm boing away for quite awhile" he told the judge. "I'm only asking I be able to spend
some time with my son."
Red Elk, who said he raised Cloud Boy in high school and before he went into the Marine Corp, said the federal court system doesn't pay attention to Fort Peck. "People are trying to unity against violence. Court TV was there. The judicial system needs to speak out."
Joseph doesn't get a second chance to go home and tell anyone he's going away, said Red Elk.
The judge delayed his decision until this week.
Burshia was convicted by a jury of voluntary manslaugh-
(Burshia - Page 8)
ate & National Political Arena
s�......m
Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields
�Bison killing highlights speech - P. 9
Chairman addresses joint session of State Legislature
Shields only 3rd tribal rep. to do so
By Bonnie Red Elk Wotanin Editor
The State must do more for tribes rather than less - that will be one of the mes-sages Fort Peck Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields said he will deliver to a joint session of the Montana State Legislature when he spoke on the "state of the Indian nations" on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Chairman Shields was invited to give the address and is only the third tribal representative to address a joint session of the Legislature.
At the Tribal Executive Board meeting on Monday, Feb. 10, Chairman Shields said he will talk on a wide-range of issues of concern of all tribes. One will be cooperative agreement tribes made with the State, he said, and will include welfare reform, allowing for tribal input on issues affecting Indians, dual taxation on Indian lands for the oil and gas industry, and what will the State do to help us get jobs on the reservation.
Shields said his testimony would have input from other tribal chairpersons, who would also be in Helena for the address.
(State - Page 9)
Montana's Congressional delegates to help Fort Peck
Water pipeline supported by all 3
By Bonnie Red Elk Wotanin Editor
Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields had good news for the Tribal Executive Board upon his return from Wash. DC, where he spent 3 days lobbying primarily for the Tribes water pipeline project.
Shields reported that the project has the support of Montana's three Congressional delegations - Senators Conrad Bums and Max Baucas, and Rep. Rick Hill in the House of Representatives.
Our bill for construction monies for the water pipeline has to be reintroduced, and Sen. Bums, who sponsored the bill in the last session of Congress, told Shields that the project is his top priority. Bums is on a committee that's important for the project, said the chairman.
Sen. Baucas will be co-sponsoring the bill and thanked the Fort Peck Tribes for their support during the last General Election, reported Shields.
Shields, Water Resource director Tom Escarcega, the engineer Mike Watson, of Helena who's been working with the Tribes on the project, and tribal attorney Mary Pavel met with Rep. Hill to go over the project, and Hill has indicated he would introduce Fort Peck's bill in the House, said the chairman, adding that Hill is on the important Energy and Water Committee.
(Water - Page 8
President wants more funds for Indian programs
But Governors support moratorium on putting new land into tribal trust
WASHINGTON (AP) -Following through on a promise to tribes, President Clinton proposed a 6 percent increase in spending on federal Indian programs next year.
Clinton's 1998 budget includes $1.7 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, an 8 percent increase over this year, and $2.4 billion for the Indian Health Service, a 3 percent rise.
Other Indian programs, including housing subsidies, would rise 8 percent to $2.3 billion.
Congress cut the BIA's budget from $1.65 billion in 1996 to $1.6 billion this year.
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt told tribal leaders recently that he would ~be out on the point" fighting for more federal aid for them and
that they should be exempted from spending cuts that are being made to balance the federal budget.
The extra money that Clinton has requested for BIA next year would allow tribes to maintain 1,250 more miles of reservation roads, hire 400 additional people for law enforcement and to repair an additional 75 homes for needy families, said Ada Deer, assistant Interior secretary for Indian affairs.
Overall spending at the Interior Department would drop $300 million, to $7.1 billion next year.
But while it's good news about the budget, Tribal Chairman Caleb Shields said the problem now is keeping it intact as it goes through the
(Budget - Page 8)